FA welcomes players' anti-racism manifesto

London - A manifesto signed by England star Raheem Sterling and fellow
footballers to combat racism in the sport received a positive response
from English football's governing body on Wednesday.

However, the Football Association (FA) recommended that if players
are racially abused and want to walk off the pitch in protest -- as some
have intimated they will do in the future -- they leave it to the
referee and do not take the decision unilaterally.

Sterling, the victim of several instances of racial abuse this
season, said teams whose fans racially abused players should be docked
nine points in the manifesto published in Tuesday's edition of The
Times.

It also called for more black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME)
people in positions of power within football, more severe punishments
for racist abuse and greater action by social media organisations,
sponsors and traditional media.

The FA responded with a lengthy statement on Wednesday saying they
agreed "completely with the manifesto's statement that players have a
fundamental right to a workplace free from discriminatory abuse".

"Currently there is a protocol for players to follow if they hear
discriminatory abuse which is designed to both protect the player and
also to ensure that the matter can be investigated immediately and the
appropriate steps taken," it said.

"This can include the referee stopping the game and allowing the players to leave the field of play.

"We would encourage the protocol to be used rather than a player or
players walking off as we believe that this is the best way to remove
the burden from players."

The FA also agreed there should be "radical change at the top" in terms of BAME coaches, employees and leaders.

"We have set ourselves the target to reach 16 per cent BAME employees
by 2021 (from 13 per cent) and 11 per cent in leadership positions
(from 5 per cent)."

In terms of representation on their own board, the FA said it met
Sport England's code for sports governance with regard to women (30% of
the board) but there was no similar recommendation for BAME
representatives.

"The FA's Board is attended by The FA's inclusion advisory board
chair, Paul Elliott, and also has Rupinder Bains as a Board Director;
but we would welcome specific targets for BAME representation across
sport and the game."

The FA said its chairman Greg Clarke had succeeded in getting UEFA to
agree to review its approach to discrimination and would help study new
options.

Clarke's action followed the racial abuse directed at Sterling and
Danny Rose in particular during the Euro 2020 qualifier in Montenegro in
March.

The FA claimed that much of what was in the manifesto regarding
punishment of clubs whose fans chant racist slogans has been implemented
for a while.

"Since 2013 there has been direct liability for discriminatory behaviour in relation to mass chanting," it said.

"The manifesto also asks for clubs and countries to be put into 'special measures' in the case of repeat offenders.

"The FA works to create action plans with clubs for any offences, not just repeat offences."